Housing crisis: Let’s repurpose vacant commercial property

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(Getty Images)

U-T Letter writers

Re “Affordable housing innovation a necessity” (Feb. 4): New housing frequently meets local resistance and high price tags. Let’s repurpose existing buildings into affordable apartments and shelters. E-commerce is driving brick-and-mortar retailers out of business. Let’s task our schools of architecture to develop the most economical techniques to convert these buildings into dwellings.

Pass a law that if a retail building can’t find a tenant in two years, it can be purchased by the government for a fair price by eminent domain. Let’s turn the blight of empty storefronts and homeless people into “Home Sweet Home.”